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Lincoln’s Inn Birmingham Gazette Building

Dennis Williams

Gone but not forgotten
I was doing a bit on The Old Square, mostly stolen from the an article in the Birmingham Faces and Places magazine of 1889, and the Winter Gardens poked it’s head round the door in a photo….and then another mystery developed….so, let me explain…..my interest started in these pics of The Old Square, and a bit of text about the Homeopathic Hospital site in the Old Square….the pic was of the old original Homeopathic Hospital building in old square…cornering Upper Priory…..and I dug out a few more to try and clarify it’s position further, and that’s when I noticed a magnificent turreted building (arrowed) in the background of one of them , which I presume looked to be in Corporation Street…maybe next to the Grand Theatre complex? First I thought it must be the old turreted Castle Pub….but this was, I thought, on the other side of the Road, and right at the end facing the Lancaster Place fire Station? If it’s not that, then why have I never seen or heard of such a great looking building anywhere in blogs or books before…..?? Answers on a postcard or here would be nice…..?? Pretty please….or tell me I’m going senile…I am, and won’t mind, honest…….?



Here’s the article:



Old Square 3rrd View

January and February last we gave views of two sides of the Old Square. We now publish a third, showing the Upper Priory. The white corner Homoeopathic Hospital, and was demolished in 1890, the present temporary Winter Gardens Pavilion being erected on its site. The houses to the left of the view are still standing:.

the first Homoeopathic Dispensary was opened in Great Charles Street. In May, 1847, the Dispensary was removed to No. 2, Upper Priory, the corner house in the Old Square demolished a few months ago to make room for the present temporary Winter Gardens Pavilion.

THIS is one of the best-remembered places of the past in Birmingham. Very few people will have forgotten the aspect of the Old Square before the Grand Theatre was built, and when the Stork Hotel stood on a different site from the present one. At that time Corporation Street did not cut through the Square, nor did the steam tram cars make it a terminus. The photograph we reproduce shows that side of the square where the Winter Gardens now stand—at least the temporary Gardens.



I rest my case……

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<cough>....well, looking at Graham Knight's (O.C) pics of the Grand Theatre, Corporation Street, he posted two pics that also show my mystery building as well......still no nearer what it was.....

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Dennis

The tower was part of the Mail and Despatch buildings which were actually the Birmingham Gazette Buildings. I think the tower was later demolished to roof level.

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Well, judging from the c1889 map, it must be Lincoln's Inn. Later became the offices of the Birmingham gazette, and had top-piece removed at soem time. I think the Crown must be in the same building, much modified but still standing
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I was halfway through typing the same thing Phil, did a lot of work there when I was apprenticed in Stafford street.
 
A later image with the tower reduced to roof level, I suppose it was beginning to crumble and give worry.

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Amazed that the building’s still there - minus tower ! The offices are now named Gazette Buildings. There’s still evidence of the former Lincoln’s Inn Restaurant too (as per Mike’s map - entrance was, I think, on Newton Street. This was raised on the ghost signs thread as there’s still a plaque/sign on the building). The building is now the Crown. I like that this area reflected the legal activities associated with the Courts - Lincoln’s Inn etc. Good evidence of the area’s past history. Viv.
 

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Not an expert, but looks to me that the tower and some of the structure immediately behind it was removed/adapted. Images from Google Earth. Viv.
 

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Jim
See posts at and following :
 
Gazette Buildings and W.H.Ward-Architect.
 

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Some history of the Gazette buildings - it moved around over the years. Viv.

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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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